Provincial.

would tell them the difference as between English and American Jlasonry . Bro . Cooke replied at considerable length , thanking the AA ' . JI . for the very kind manner in which he had proposed his health , but declining an explanation of the differences in the two systems of work until Jlonday evening , when he would give a lecture upon the workings of the Craft in the United States , ancl concluded by directing the attention of the brethren to the important position of their Lodge , it being very unlike that of any other Lodge in Great Britain—that while the

University was shaping the minds of the future men of the country , the Apollo Lodge was shaping the JIasonie minds of a very large number of the future JIasons of the country . He congratulated them on having at their head a skilful brother who was capable of doing the work in the impressive manner it hacl been his pleasure to witness in the earlier part of the evening . He hoped they might always have such a AV . JL , ancl added he had visited many Lodges iii England , Ireland and Scotland , and he bad not seen tho degrees better conferred in Great Britain . The

AV . JL then proposed the health of " Bro . Dudley , the JIayor of Oxford , " who replied in a few very appropriate remarks , thanking the brethren for the very kind manner in which his name had been received by them . A few other toasts were proposed ancl drunk , including the Past JIasters and Tyler ' s , and the brethren dispersed evidently well pleased with the proceedings of the evening . ^_

STAFFORDSHIRE . AVOLVERIUMMON . —St . Peter ' s Lodge ( No . 607 ) . —The usual monthly meeting of this Lodge was held Feb . 6 , Bro . King , P . JI . ( in the absence of the W . il . Bro . Betts ) presiding , assisted by the proper officers . After making an alteration of five guiueas in lieu of two guineas donation to the Fund for Aged aud Decayed Freemasons , the minutes of the last Lodge were confirmed . The only other business of importance consisted in raising Bro . Job Stauway to the degree of Fellow Craft . A vote of

congratulation to Bro . Rev . J . H . lies on his appointment by the Lord Bishop of Lichfield to the Rectory of the Collegiate Church of St . Peter ' s , Wolverhampton , was passed by the Lodge , and at the same time the brethren 'did not forget to pay a last tribute of respect ( in terms truly JIasonie ) to the departed ' worth of tho late Rector , Bro . Rev . J . O . Dakeyne . The Lodge was then closed in form and with solemn prayer .

AVARAVICKSHIRE . BnuilSGHAir . —St . Paul ' s Lodge ( No . 51 ) . —The monthly meeting of this Lodge took place at the Union Hotel , on Jtonday , 30 th January last , at four o'clock , the AV . JL , Bro . AVm . Briggs , presiding . The Lodge was duly opened in form ancl solemn prayer . The AV . JI . proposed "That Bro . George Liugard be a rejoining member , " which was carried unanimously . The AV . JL jiroposed , ancl Bro . Stullman , P . M ., seconded , " That five pounds be voted for two years from the friends of the Lodge for the

Royal Institution for Aged Freemasons ; " and on being put to the vote was carried unanimously . It was proposed by the AV . JI ., and carried , '' That the hearty congratulations of the Lodge be given to the Hon . Secretary , Bro . Alfred William Suckling on his recent marriage . " The Lodge was duly opened in the second aud third degrees . The AV . JI . elect was duly installed AA ' . M . for the ensuing year , who thereupon invested his officers . The AV . JI . proposed , and Bro . Cohen , P . JI ., seconded , "That a jewel be presented to Bro . Briggs , " which was carried unanimously . The Lodge was closed with perfect harmony and brotherly love . The brethren then proceeded to refreshment .

Royal Arch.

ROYAL ARCH .

PROVINCIAL . NORWICH . —Chapter of Perseverance ( No . 25 S ) . —A special meeting of the Companions of this Chapter was held on February 9 th , at the Rampant Horse Hotel , which was opened by P . Z . AA'illiam AA'icks , assisted by James Dawbarn , H ., and Emanuel Hyams , J . The ballot was taken for the officers for the ensuing twelve months , and the following were unanimously elected : —James Dawbarn , Z . ; Eniauuel Hyams ,

H . ; AVilliam Rant Redgrave , J . ; Albert John Collins , JE . ; Joseph JIarshall , N . ; ancl Comp . Henry John JIason , P . S ., for the seventh time . Brothers AVilliam Horace Stevens , S . AA' . of Lodge No . 258 , and David Browne , of Lodge No . 110 , were duly elected as candidates for this sublime degree . The ceremony of exalting Bro . Stevens was then proceeded with , after which the newly appointed officers were installed and inducted to then-several chairs hy Comp . JIason . The usual addresses for the occasion were delivered by Comp . AVicks . Comps . George Ehvard

Simpson and Francis Calsey were elected as Asst . Sojs . It is especially due to Comp . JIason , to notice the perfect ancl satisfactory manner iu ivhieh he discharged the necessarily heavy duties which devolved upon him ; and were he not blest with a memory which but few men possess , it would be next to an impossibility for the Chapter to be so well worked ; ivhieh is a source of great gratification to its members , as well as to visitors that occasionally attend . The Chapter being closed , the Companions retired to the supper room , and passed a very agreeable evening in

toasting the healths of the new officers , and congratulating themselves upon the happy choice they had made , feeling assured that not only the prosperity of the Chapter , but thc instruction ancl comforts < - > t those who composed it , conlcl not have been placed iu better hands .

Ancient And Accepted Rite.

ANCIENT AND ACCEPTED RITE .

METROPOLITAN CHAPTER . AVoOLWiou . —Invicta Chapter of Rose Croix . —The 111 . Sov . Princes of the above newly established Chapter met at the JIasonie Hall , AA'illiam-street , AVoolwich , on Friday evening last , under the presidency of Col . Clerk , JI . AV . Sov . ; 111 . Bros . Dr . Hinxman , High Prelate ; Figg , 1 st Gen .: Capt . Crowe , 2 nd Gen . ; Matthew Cooke , Organist ; and others ; the 111 . Bro . Roofe , of the Royal Naval Chapter , Portsmouth , as a visitor . The special business before the Chapter was tin ;

installation of Bro . Hughes , of the Eoyal Naval Lodge , No . 70 , and the ceremony was performed with that ability , care ancl attention to tho mallest matters of detail , which characterize the M . AV . Sov ., Col . Clerk ' s , administration of such an important rite . Jt'he hall itself increases in favour with every visit . Its superior accommodation , fittings , and the splendid coup d'ceil it presents when prepared for this interesting degree , render it a building second to none for Masonic purposes . The was also considerably enhanced by the performance of

approceremony priate music iu accordance with the ritual sanctioned by the S . G . In . G . of thc 33 ° . After the installation the 111 . Sov . Princes adjourned to dinner at Bro . De Grey's , and in that fraternal intercourse of instructive ancl pleasing fellowship , passed the remainder of the evening , breaking up at an early hour . It is presumed that the meeting in April will be , more than usually brilliant as there are several candidates to b admitted into this beautiful and sacred Order .

Scotland.

SCOTLAND .

GLASGOAV . MASONIC EUSERAL CEREMONY . Ox Wednesday , February 15 th , a . funeral Lodge , in honour of the late Professor Nichol , was holden in the Queen ' s Rooms . There were upwards of six hundred brethren from various Lodges present , and the solemn proceedings were highly creditable to all concerned . The deceased brother was a P . M . of the Glasgow Kilwinning No . 4 , and the arrangements , which were businesslike and successful , did the brethren of that

Lodge the greatest honour . The splendid room of the excellent buildingwas modestly aud chastely decorated , and the different deputations were received and conducted to their places in fine order and precision . Bro . Sir Archibald Alison presided ; JBro . R . A . Cooper was S . AV ., and Bro . Bexfield J . AV . On the platform , beside Bro . Sir Archd . Allison , were—Bros . Sheriff Strathevn ; Councillor John Binnie , R . W . M . No . 4 ; Gilmour , D . JI . ; Rev . Dr . Graham , Chaplain ; Houstoun , Proxy Master ; Sinclair , Treasurer ; AA'hinton , Willde , Peter M'Kenzie , David Bel ] , No . 4 ; John

Gilmour , Jas . Tassie , sen ., Hedderwick , Drummond , Rev . — Henderson , Bailie Dreghorn , Dewar , S . JI . of G . K . L . ; J . AA ' . M'Gregor , Donald Campbell , Fleming , Swan , Neilson , Deuchar , Edinburgh ; M'Aclam , Deacon-Convener M'Lellwi , Inglis , Cruifcshanks , Cree , JVI'Calliim , and Hultou . Also the Masters of the various Lodges presented . The following Lodges were represented by deputations : — Doric Kilwinning , No . 08 ; Mother Kilwinning ; Ayr Royal Arch , No . 165 ; Athole , No . 384 ; New Jlonklaud , Montrose ; Thistle and Rose , No . 73 ; St . Jlungo , No . 27 ; Glasgow , St . John ' s , No . 372 ; St . George ' s ,

No . 333 ; Provincial Grand Lodge ; Coltness , St . Mary ' s , No . 41 ; Shamrock aud Thistle ; Renfrew County Kilwinning ; St . Clair , No . 362 ; Caledonian Railway Lodge ; St . Jlirren ' s , Paisley , No . 129 ; Thistle , No . 87 ; St . Jlary ' s Patrick ; Star , No . 219 ; St . Mark ' s , No . 102 ; Old Jlonklaud , St . James , No . 177 ; Ayr , Kilwinning , No . 124 ; Union ancl Crown , _^! o . 103 ; Leith , Canongate Kilwinning , No . 5 ; Lodge No . 370 ; Edinburgh Journeyman Lodge , No . 8 ; Celtic , Edinburgh ; Irvine St . Andrew ' s , No . 149 ; Commercial , No . 360 .

Bro . Sinclair , Treasurer of the Glasgow Kilwinning Lodge , No . 4 , read the following apologies : — " Sheriff ' s Chambers , Glasgow , Feb . 15 . 76 , I 860 . < : Sir and Brother , —It occasions me great disappointment and regret that I am prevented by a previous ancl unavoidable engagement , from being present at the Funeral Lodge , to be held this evening , in honour ofthe late John Pi-ingle Nichol . He had no friend in Glasgow or anywhere else who lamented more truly than I . did his premature death .

He was one of those men whom it was impossible to know without loving . His extensive scholarship and great literary attainments , far from checking or circumventing the general sympathies of his nature , seemed only to intensify and widen them ; he looked upon all humanity with a generous and manly interest . His opinions , though decided , were never bigoted , ancl his impulses all tended towards the moral ancl intellectual , freedom ancl elevation of mankind . I have spent many delightful hours in his society , often agreeing with and admiring him , occasionally differing , but losing no jot of his friendship by honest independence of thought .

" I felt , as ive all did , that his death created a void which will perhaps never be filled up . The respect which his JIasonie brethren are to-night paying to his memory was never more justly due , or , I believe , more sincerely offered . —I am , Sir ancl Brother , yours fraternally , "HUSKY OT . ASSI . OHD'JB EI . T .. " To Bro . H . JI . Sinclair , Treas . No . 4 . " London ., Feb . IStli . " DEAR SIR , —I have just received your note , which has been for